 |
Chicago Workers Collaborative |
Uniting low-wage and temporary workers to bring down barriers for full employment and equality
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
Change 4 Good
 |
African-American
and Latino workers who are ex-offenders face great difficulties
finding employment. Because employers widely use background checks
which exclude them from life-sustaining work, ex-offenders have united to
form Change 4 Good, a project which trains them in the barbering profession. Without opportunities and
support, ex-offenders often feel that they have no choice except to
engage in the underground economy to survive.
Change 4 Good Coordinator, Shandale Watkins, recruits and
trains the ex-offenders. CWC supports and
promotes Change 4 Good as part of a labor-community organizing
campaign to tear down barriers to full employment and full
citizenship for people of color. CWC lends advice to the project and
serves as the project's Fiscal Agent.
In addition,
to the barbering training, workers also learn their rights regarding
the illegal use of background checks (criminal & credit), which some companies use to deny employment opportunities to some
applicants—largely Latinos and African-Americans. Trainees then educate their community as they learn a respected
profession. Preparation in running their own business and financial
education are also be a part of the curriculum.
| Change
4 Good helps us obtain our state barbering license so we can work at a
barbershop or open our own business. No-one else wants to give us a job,
so we are working with Change 4 Good so we can take care of our
families -- Ex-Offender Trainee |
Click here to view the Change 4 Good photo gallery
|
Licensed barber trainer, Shandale Watkins, leads discussion with C4G Board members at the CWC office. |
 |
Training takes place at Cut 2
Keep barbershop, 5015 S. Ashland Ave., in the New City neighborhood of Chicago.
|
Change
4 Good celebrates its first official trainee to receive his barber
license! |
 |
With the support of Change 4
Good, I was able to improve my life, and learn a profession. I'm able
to provide myself and my family with an income, and do it with
integrity," Billy says, "I want other young men and women
to know that you can't succeed alone--you need a supportive group and
a supportive mentor. I'm going to remain active with Change 4 Good to
help other trainees attain a respected profession and self-respect in
the process. -- Billy Williams, Professional Barber
Billy Williams (left) with his Illinois State Barber
License. Billy has been working and training under the tutelage of
Change 4 Good Project Coordinator, Shandale Watkins, for the past
couple of years, and he recently attained his State License in the
Fall of 2011. Billy now wants to continue working with Change 4 Good
to help other trainees. |
 |
Left: Leone Jose Bicchieri, Executive
Director of CWC, and Shandale Watkins, Coordinator of Change 4 Good,
celebrating the arrival of several new barber chairs at CWC's office. The
chairs will be used for the barber trainings for the participants of
Change 4 Good. |
Right: A meeting at
CWC's Chicago office. One way of Bringing Down Barriers is to have people
of different backgrounds discussing ways of working together. |
 |
|
|
 |
Supported by:
Cut 2 Keep & Chicago Workers Collaborative
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
